Water treatment devices for home and other uses are well known in the art. Such devices are typically incorporated in a water system either in-line or at a terminal end. An example of the former would be an under-the-counter device which filters water prior to reaching a faucet outlet. There are two common types of terminal end devices—countertop and faucet mounted. Water treatment devices can treat water by the use of mechanical filtration or chemical treatment. Most water-filtration systems use a filter-cartridge containing either activated carbon or a combination of activated carbon and an ion-exchange resin. The activated carbon serves to filter out particulates and other impurities, while eliminating most of the chlorine present in the water. The ion-exchange resin removes positive ions such as calcium, thereby softening the water. A negative side-effect of the above-mentioned systems is that various other healthy minerals can be removed by the ion-exchange resin. An alternative method of water purification is reverse osmosis, but products using this technology are not widely utilized by household consumers due to their high costs.
In recent years, consumption of water by people has risen due to better health education and other information available to the public. However, public perception of the poor quality and taste of regular tap water has led to the development and sale of a number of products addressing these problems. Various bottled waters are available to consumers. Some of these bottled waters have additional additives which the consumer may find beneficial. Such additives include nutrients, vitamins, minerals and flavorings. These bottled waters are sometimes called fitness waters, vitamin waters or enhanced waters. However, the cost and inconvenience of obtaining enhanced bottled water products on a regular basis may discourage consumers from consuming additional water. Accordingly, a more convenient and cost effective approach for providing enhanced water to the public is needed.